Representations of reproductive citizenship and vulnerability in media reports of offshore surrogacy
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Date
2013-12-09
Authors
Riggs, Damien Wayne
Due, Clemence
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Rights
© 2013 Taylor & Francis
Rights Holder
Taylor & Francis
Abstract
In
his
elaboration
of
the
concept
of
‘reproductive
citizenship’,
Turner
(2001)
suggested
something
of
a
homogeneous
accumulation
of
cultural
capital
to
those
who
make
a
reproductive
contribution
to
contemporary
western
societies.
The
present
paper
takes
up
this
suggestion
and
proposes
that
whilst
reproduction
is
indeed
a
hallmark
of
contemporary
citizenship,
the
cultural
capital
arising
from
this
is
still
differentiated
by
mode
of
reproduction,
with
reproductive
heterosex
remaining
the
norm
against
which
other
modes
are
compared.
This
norm,
it
is
suggested,
produces
what
is
termed
here
‘reproductive
vulnerability’,
namely
vulnerability
arising
from
being
located
outside
of
the
norm.
Through
an
analysis
of
media
representations
of
Australian
people
who
have
undertaken
offshore
surrogacy
arrangements
in
India,
the
present
paper
demonstrates
how
reproductive
vulnerability
is
highlighted
only
to
be
dismissed
through
recourse
to
the
construction
of
those
who
undertake
reproductive
travel
as
agentic
citizens.
The
paper
concludes
by
considering
what
it
would
take
for
an
ethics
of
reproductive
travel
to
exist;
one
in
which
multiple,
incommensurable
vulnerabilities
are
taken
into
account,
and
the
representation
of
which
encourages,
rather
than
inhibits,
careful
thought
about
the
reproductive
desires
of
all
people.
Description
Author version made available in accordance with the publisher's policy. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in CITIZENSHIP STUDIES on 19 December 19 2013, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13621025.2013.851145
Keywords
Citation
Riggs, D.W. & Due, C. (2013). Representations of reproductive citizenship and vulnerability in media reports of offshore surrogacy. Citizenship Studies, 17, 956-969.